Process of making heel bases



' Dec. 13, 1927.

Y o. T. CRAFTS PROCESS OF MAKING HEEL BASES 2 She Filed Feb. 19, 1927 gc szshee J Dec. 13, 1927: 1,652,610 0. T. CRAFTS PROCESS OF MAKING HEEL BASES Filed Feb. 19, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J31 ve71%o r 122:1 7T

Patented Dec. 13, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OTIS T. CRAFTS, F MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNOR T0 CRAFTS PROCESS,

ING, OF MANCHESTER, NEW

HAMPSHIRE, A CORPORATION OF BROCESS OF MAKING HEEL BASES.

Application filed February 19, 1927. Serial N0. 169,629.

My present invention relates to heel bases, particularly adapted for use in the manufacture of boots and shoes, more particularly such shoes utilizing rubber hee s, and ineludes also the novel process ofmanufacturing such heel base.

In my prior Patents, No. 1,458,52 i dated June 12, 1925, and No. 1,528,912 dated March 10, 1925, and in my prior and co-pending applications Serial No. 56,112, filed September 14, 1925, Serial No. 164,207, filed January 28, 1927, and No. 164:,208, filed January 28, 1927, I have illustrated and described various forms of heel bases with a uniform randlike rim on the bottom or shoe engaging surface of the base, as well as novel rands for use therewith.

The blanks, rands, and bases described in said patents and a plications may be, and preferably are, ma e from extremely cheap, inexpensive material, frequently being constructed from scrap or waste leather. In my development of this art, however, I have discovered a novel method of manufacturing a v randed heel base, utilizing material for which there has heretofore application.

An important object of the present invention, therefore, is the provision of a heel base applicable for use in all classes of boot and shoe making, which will embody all of the features of high priced bases, while at the same time being constructed from material or stock which has heretofore been considered as absolute waste.

During the process of cutting,-stamping, or dieing out lifts, whether whole or half section lifts, there are )ortions, pieces, or strips of leather, frequently leather of the highest grade. These strips or pieces, heretofore, have been discarded as useless and valueless, since they were too small to provide for the cutting therefrom of even ahalf lift section. I have discovered, however, that these heretofore waste strips contain sufficient material from which may be severed or died the pieces or sections utilized in carrying out mypresent invention.

The present invention consists in building a heel base blank, preferably com rised of a. pluralit of lifts or layers. One 0 the la ers of this eel base is composed of a plura ity,

been known no useful left over numerous preferably three ormore sections or pieces out, according to my present invention, from the leavmgs or scrap leather resulting from various cutting and dieing operations. When assembled, and regardless of whether the layer comprised of the plurality of small sections is on the top, bottom, or interposed between the top or bottom layers, a randlike rim is bevelled into the blank, producing a suitable concavity for contact with the heel seat surface of the shoe. As fully ex plained in my prior patents and applications, this eliminates the expensive and costly methods of applying separate rands to a heel base blank. The blank of my present invention, if built to a height greater than that required for a finished heel base, may be skived or levelled to finished predetermined height, as fully described in said prior patents and applications. In cutting or diemg out the pieces or sections utilized for one layer of my novel heel base, I have discovered that a single die may be utilized for forming the pieces positioned at the sides of the heel base blank, these pieces conforming to the slight curve at the side of the heel blank, and being interchangeable with each other. Also, these side pieces, so formed by a single die, may be applied, for example, in bases for mens shoes, to every size of heel, the only change in size of lift material being that required for the strip, section or piece which is positioned at the back of the heel, or the portion opposite the heel breast.

Thus I produce a novel heel base, frequently constructed from expensive leather stock, but from pieces of said stock which have heretofore been considered as waste, and thereforevalueless and useless. I am not limited, of course, to the use of such pieces of scrap from high grade leather, but may use other grades of stock. In finished condition and appearance, my novel heel base resents as attractive an appearance as a eel base made from whole and expensive lifts, and will stand up, under Wear, equally as efiiciently as such an expensive base.

I believe that my present heel base, as Well as the method of manufacturing same, is novel, and I have therefore claimed both the process, and the article produced thereby, in the present application.

Further features ofthe invention, details, advantages and combinations of arts, will be hereina er more fully pointe -out and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, illustrating preferred embodiments of the present inventlon,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a strip of waste material illustrating the method of cutting my pieced lift sections therefrom;

Figs. 2 and 3 are perspective views of the pieces cut therefrom;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a lurality of heel sizes illustrating the app 'ication of the pieced lift sections thereto;

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of a blank formed according to my present invention;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the, comleted heel base with the bevelled concavity ormed therein;

Figs. 7 and 8 are' perspective views of modified forms of pieces or sections utilized for the back part of the heel;

Figs. 9 and '10 are perspective views of finished heel bases utilizing the sections of Fi s. 7 and 8 respectively;

ig. 11 is a erspective view of a modified form of heel b ank;

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the comg letetlllbase formed from the structure of ig. 13 is a perspective of a still further modified form of heel blank; and

Fi .-14 is a perspective of heel base-formed therefrom.

I As shown in the drawings, 1 designates a strip or piece of leather resulting from the dieing out from a sheet of leather of heel lifts, soles, or the like) These pieces of leather 1 have been consildered too small for an ractical u'r ose, tiey not presenting sudlciiant area Iroriiwhich to cut a half lift section, which heretofore has been considered the smallest possible which heel bases or t e like could be con However, for the purpose of carrying out my present invention, I ave discovered that the pieces 1 present sulficient area to enable me to cut or die therefrom the sections from which I construct at least one layer or lift of my novel heel base. For example, from the piece 1 I may die out the pieces 2 and 3,

more clearly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3.

section here illustrat- Y e piece or marginal ed as 2, presents numerous tures. As shown in 4, these pieces 2 are ap lied to the outsi edges of a lift 4. The 11 t 4 is. approximately the smallest size of lift which can be utilized in a mens shoe.

advantageous fea- The lifts 5, 6, 7 and 8 represent larger sizes of heel lifts suitable for mens shoes, up to approximately the largest size practical. A peculiarly advanta eous feature of the sec tions 2, out in the form as shown, with one the completed iece or section from,

elled base construct plies the sections 2, so long asthe arcuate edge 9 is on the outside. Thus, 'I am enabled to utilize a single die to cut the side marginal sections 2 for all sizes of mens heels, as shown herein. The sameadvantages will bepresent in the making of womens or childrens shoes, and I am not, of

course, limited to the use of my invention'in mens shoes, this construction being shown in the present application for illustrative purposes only.

It will, of course, be necessary to vary the size of the rear marginal section 3 for the varying sizes of heel lifts or pieces, but the marginal sections 2 remain the same. The sections 2 and 3 are of sufiicient width, so that when bevelled to form the heel seat concavity, there will still remain a sufiicient marginal width of material to receive the heel nails.

Fi 5 illustrates, in perspective, a heel base blank constructed according to my present invention. In this form, the side marginal sections 2 and the rear marginal section 3 have been applied to a single lift 11. The sections 2 and 3 abut along distinct substantially perpendicular lines 12 as clearly. shown. The sections 2 and 3 are cemented, glued, or otherwise adhered to the lift 11. The blank is then subjected to a bevelling or gouging action, to produce the sired in the particular heel base under construction, which bevelling action produces the heel base illustrated as 13 in Fig. 6. This bevelled heelbase may be compressed, molded, or finished, as desired.

It will thus be seen that I have devised a novel heel base, comprising a plurality of predetermined marginal sections, so constructed and arranged as to present an unbroken marginal portion or edge at the rear of the heel. This is of advantage, since it eliminates any cracking or breaking of the heel at this point, resulting in a much stronger and more firmly united heel base.

In Fig. 11 I have illustrated a heel base blank constructed of the marginal sections 2 and 3, assembled on alift 11, but with an additionallift at the top'of the blank. This top lift comprises, in the present instance, two half sections 14 and 15. If desired, of course, a single lift can be utilized in place of the two sections 14 and 15, but the construction herein illustrated inFig. 11 lends the advantageof increased economy to the manufacture of such a heel base blank.

illustrated the bevfrom the blank of In Fig. 12 is clearl concavity dey Fig. 11. The rand-like rim formed in the marginal sections 2 and 3 will be readily apparent.

It will frequently happen that the died out sections 2 and 3 will be too thin to be positioned on the bottom of the blank, and receive the bevelling action. In this event, it is within the province of my present invention to form a heel base blank as illustrated in Fig. 13, wherein the sections 2 and 3, being too thin for the bevelling of the rand-like rim, are adhered or secured to a lift 16. Over the sections 2 and 3 is fitted and adhered a further lift or layer, which may comprise a single lift or as illustrated in the present instance a pieced lift comprising two half sections 17 and 18.

The completed base, formed from the blank of Fig. 13, is illustrated at 19 in Fig. 14. This form of base has a very sturdy construction, capable of withstanding the strains and wear incurred in boot or shoe usage.

In the event that the waste strip 1 may not I present sufficient area from which to form the rear section 3, it may still be possible to cut therefrom a section 20, illustrated in Fig. 7, or a section 21,-as illustrated m Fig.

8. In Fig. 9 is illustrated a heel base formed 'T by utilizing the sections 20, wherem two of the sections 20 are applied to a lift 22. These sections 20 may be, and preferably are, cut with a single die into tWo identical sections, meeting at the center of the rear of the heel approximately at the point 23. In the form shown in Fig. 9 the side marginal sections 2 are also utilized.

The rear marginal sections 21 are also preferably cut with a single die, thus providing two identical members. When applied to a lift 24, as illustrated in Fig. 10, these two sections 21 will meet at the center of the rear of the base at the point 25. The side marginal sections 2 are e ually applicable to this form. It will be instantly aparent that the rear marginal sections 21,

eing died out in such manner as to eliminate all unnecessary material, for example at the point 26, may be cut from extremely small pieces of scrap or Waste leather, and thus represent a still further saving in the cost of my novel heel base.

It will thus be apparent that, although I utilize in the manufacture of the heel base stand up in wear, will take the edge finishing, burnishing, inking, and any other operat1ons to which expensive and high grade heel lifts may be subjected.

While I have necessarily described my present invention somewhat in detail, it will be appreciated that I am not limited theieto, but may vary the size, shape, and arrangement of parts, within reasonably wide limits, without departing from the spirit of the invention. v

My invention is further described and defined-in the form of claim as follows:

The improved process of making heel bases of different sizes, which consists in assemblmg a plurality of predetermined margmal sections on a lift, said sections forming one layer of a blank and abutting at a plurality of points, two of said marginal sections being applied at the sides of said lift and substantially flush therewith and being substantially identical in contour and size regardless of the size of lift to which they are applied, and a third section being applied at the rear of saidlift and presenting an unbroken marginal portion at the rear of the blank, said third section'only, of the said predetermined marginal sections, varying in size with the varying sizes of lifts to which said marginal sections are applied, forming said blank to desired height, and thereupon forming a rand-like rim in one of said layers.

- In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

OTIS T. CRAFTS. 

